I Have the Editing/Proofreading Credentials That Will Help You Look Polished and Professional.

Before you consider hiring me as your proofreader, we need to clear up any possible confusion:

There’s a difference among the various levels of proofreading and editing.

Because I want our working relationship to be smooth right from the start, it’s very, very easy for there to be confusion. So I’m going to help clarify that for you. There are four standard levels of editing (often called “editorial passes”). It’s SO important to understand these levels because each edit requires a specific skill set and is charged out at a different rate.

You don’t want to assume the person you hire (me) should cost a proofreader’s rate and end up being expected to do some serious editing. The price will change if there is more expectation that the final proof requires additional work or review. And to be doubly clear, I am proficient at all four levels.

I’m here to help eliminate any confusion on your part, plus give you the knowledge you need to be able to make the right choice. I’ve excerpted the following information from several reliable resources:

Look at this concise list of editing types. Once you know what you’re looking for, you’ll understand why it’s essential to hire the right style of proofreader. (Like me, of course!)

4 Levels of Editing:

1. Developmental editing (book manuscripts)

Sometimes called structural or substantive editing, developmental editing looks at the “big picture.” As a developmental editor, I will read the document (usually a manuscript) and make sure the story makes sense and ensure you address any larger issues before moving forward.

As a developmental editor, I work on the following:

Plot

Setting

Overall structure

Character development

Adding/deleting/rearranging scenes or content

The introduction and ending

2. Line editing

The line edit comes after developmental aspects are fixed. (See point 1) Sometimes it is called stylistic or content editing. Here is where I would drill down into more specific items.

Copy editing is the one most commonly confused with proofreading. It’s not unusual to come across many clients who ask for a proofreader but need a copy editor. If you’re looking for a proofreading solution, but want words changed or sentence structure fixed, that is NOT proofreading — that’s copy editing. Just saying.

Proofreading is the last stage in the game before a piece of content goes live. A proofreader is looking for items that have been missed in previous editorial passes. Proofreading is NOT the stage where I would suggest different words or rewrite sentences; however, if I come across a glaring error that a previous editor missed, I would flag it for you.

As a proofreader, I work on the following:

Typos

Double words (“the the,” “and and,” etc.)

Grammar

Punctuation

Spelling

Formatting issues

Now that this is cleared up, why should you hire me?

Having a professional set of eyes for your final proof allows you to gain the respect you deserve and will enable you to close more sales.

Catching issues saves you money – you know the kind of expense you’d incur having to reprint a batch of brochures or repost hundreds of hours of website and online material because of a glaring mistake.

You can start commanding the credibility and respect your business deserves in as little as hours – depending on the content and agreed time schedules.

Here are just some of the things you get when you decide to invest in me as your proofreader:

If you are a ‘business owner’ who advertises, offers brochures, postcards, business cards, whitepapers or ebooks, you need a proofreader!

Regardless of how short your message may be, or how stunning a graphic designer’s ad looks as if something has a misspelled word or a misplaced punctuation mark, the chances are those mistakes are going to bring down the credibility of your product or topic. I’m here to help as a final set of eyes before production.

Your grammar is a reflection of your image. Good or bad, you make a first impression. And like most impressions, you can control the outcome.

I’m willing and here for you.

For more information about me, please go check out more of my pages and get back to the Contact me and let’s get to know each other.

“If you want someone who is passionate about her work and is sincerely interested in who you are and your needs, then you have found that person. Patricia prides herself on the power of words, and she delivers. It has been a privilege to work with her, and I recommend her highly as a writer and copywriter.”–John Robson, www.HigherAwareness.com

My Philosophy

Oprah said, “You cannot live a brave life without disappointing some people.”

Frankly, you can’t change how other people feel, ever. You can only change how you think about yourself, what you do and what you don’t do.

What this also means to me is that if those people who scoff, judge, and get disappointed with what you do or don’t do, they don’t have your back in the first place. That’s okay. People, who care for you and want to see you excel, will not be disappointed. They are your cheerleaders. They stand by you.

I stand by you and your work. I stand by my work. Together, we make quality impressions that intrigue your customers.